Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-01
Direraifcd .;HricMLtM,.c.

MIR. S. G.. Harrison Mt the ILLINOIS
Dairymen's Convention just held at Au-
rora, presented n paper on mixed farming,
in which the whole subject was carefully
considered. One of the points made was
that any product 10 be consumed in a dis
tant market should be decreased in bulk
and weight SO long rs it does not deciease
in money value. Hence beef, mutton, and
pork should be fattened. Dairy products
are still more reducible. This was illus
trated us follows:
If a bushel of corn weighing fifty-six
pounds will produce six pounds of pork,
four pounds of beef or two pounds OF but
ter, and all arc to be consumed in New
York City, and each could be produced at
the same expense, and would sell for the
same amount in the city, the butter pro-
ducer would have a reasonable profit over
even meat producers, to say nothing of
what he would gain over selling the corn.
Besides. the man who ships grain OFT his
farm is rapidly reducing its productive ca
pacity, for we rob our and to the extent if
we reno anything from it. AS "mixed
farming" reduces the bulk and weight of
products sold without decreasing their
value, thus reducing the drain on the fer
tility of the land and cost of transportation
to place of consumption, besides utilizing
much that would otherwise be wasted, we
would recommend "miXed farming" to
every IL having enough capital and bust
ness capacity 10 manage it properly.
Combination was also illustrated as
among the important means of increasing
the revenue on tho farm, and it was held
that when each part is we'll done, too many
things cannot be combined. Nevertheless
it must be remembered that it is fully as
difficult TO carry out o large combination
of interests in agriculture as it is to I'M
dertake several trades or professions under
one management. Few persons can carry
out the breeding OF turf or draft horses in
their several strains, breed several fami-
lies of beef and dairy cattle, and at the same
time carry on n system of general cropping
and of dairying. But one and the same
man, if he has good business ability, may
select a single breed of horses or cattle,
whether beef or dairy, ono of sheep, and
one of hogs, aud Mt the same time carry On
cropping; and if he keeps q dairy breed of
cattle, he may carry on dairying success
fully. In fact, q man cannot breed success
fully without also combining an intelligent
system of cropping Herewith. Combina-
ton ls always ri advantage where the
parts combined perform their several func-
lions as we'll as could be done singly. One
phase of this was illustrated as follows;
The corn-planter and check-rower that &C.
complishes in operation what was for.
merly done in the four separate operation:
of marking" dropping" covering" anc
rolling" is but one of the many inven'
tions which illustrate the great advantage.
Of combination. AS a country of varied
u is superior to one limited to
few, SO a business having several source
of profit is more certain of success thar
that limited to one thing.
In relation to mixed farming Mr.. Harri
son held:
Farming, raising horses, cattle, swine
and poultry, and manufacturing butter anc
cheese, are seven departments of business
and labor quite unlike in many respects
A man who would be n marked success in
n of them, might be q failure in all the
others. Find u man who understands eacl
department and add to this yet, ability t.
manage employees, and you have one who
will be q grand success in mixed farming.
But each department must be managed the
very best, because it is only the very hes,
in any trade or profession that have profit
or honor from their work.
In mixed farming" there is required
more capital as we'll as business canacit,
than in any single department that maj
enter into combination, and it is only in nj
extensive business that much profit ac-
crues, because the expense in buildings.
machinery, and labor is nearly the same in
a small as in a large business.
"Mixed farming has adecided advantage
In labor and produce saved. The dairy
supplies calves, and milk for them, and
pigs, which would be mostly lost in dairy
ing alone. A vast amount of course feeds
valuable as such feed can be used in com.
bined farming that would be entirely los,
in farming alone. There is also q vas,
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